Table of contents for 463 in The Week Junior

After a vote with very close results, people in Moldova, a country that lies between Romania and Ukraine, have chosen to join the European Union (EU). The EU is a group of 27 countries that work and trade together. What happened? On 20 October, Moldova held a public vote to decide if the country’s constitution should be changed to include a plan to join the EU. A constitution is a set of rules that guides how a country or state is run. As the results were being counted, it seemed like most people had voted “no”. However, when officials started to count the votes cast by Moldovans living in other countries, the “yes” votes took the lead. When all the votes had finally been counted, the results were very close,…

GETTING CLOSE TO PANDA CUBS Visitors to Berlin Zoo in Germany can now see giant panda twins for the first time since they were born on 22 August. The pandas are being looked after by their mother Meng Meng and a team of experts, but will now spend an hour each day in front of the public. A YOUNG MOUNTAINEER A 23-year-old has become the youngest woman to climb all 14 of the world’s highest peaks. Adriana Brownlee said reaching the top of the last peak – Shishapangma, in China – on 9 October was an “incredible moment”. Brownlee set an ambition to climb the world’s tallest mountain when she was eight years old. ELIZABETH LINE DESIGNERS London’s Elizabeth line has won the 2024 Stirling Prize – an award by…

This creepy-looking fungus is named for its appearance – it looks a bit like swollen, blackened fingers reaching out of the ground, as if to escape from a woodland grave. The “fingers” of this fungus are three to eight centimetres high, and there are usually three to six of them. When the fungus is young they are pale grey with a whitish tip, a bit like fingernails, but they turn blacker with age. Found across the UK, they grow on the stumps and dead wood of deciduous trees (ones that shed their leaves in autumn), especially beech trees. You might spy them poking out through dead leaves at this time of year but they can be seen all year round. A hole at the top of each finger releases spores…

Exeter Chiefs In the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR), Exeter Chiefs enjoyed an impressive 21-15 victory against defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury. New Zealand women’s T20 cricket team New Zealand won the Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time, beating South Africa by 32 runs in the final. Great Britain track cycling team At the Track Cycling World Championships in Denmark, the Great Britain team won four gold, four silver and five bronze medals. Lionel Messi The footballer scored a hat trick (three goals) for his club Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer competition in the US.…

A new BBC series called Nikhil and Jay takes you into the life of a loving family for a story that will make you laugh. The main characters are brothers – seven-year-old Nikhil and five-year-old Jay. Their dad is from the north of England and their mum is from south India. She speaks Tamil (a language spoken in India and Sri Lanka) and the children use the Tamil words Amma (mum) and Appa (dad) when talking to their parents. Chitra Soundar wrote the books on which the show is based and also wrote many of the episodes. She tells The Week Junior that Nikhil and Jay respond to situations in very different ways. Nikhil likes to plan and wants to figure out how to do something before diving in. By…

Mallory Vayle and the Curse of Maggoty Skull by Martin Howard. Illustrated by Pete Williamson (Nosy Crow) In this funny, supernatural story, Mallory Vayle is a young necromancer in training, who must rescue the spirits of her parents. To do so, she’ll need the help of a talking skull called Maggoty, who requests unusual favours in return. Dread Wood: Terror Tower by Jennifer Killick (Farshore) Angelo and his friends have already faced fearsome foes, from mind-controlling parasites to vampire birds, but in this new story, their school Dread Wood High has become infested with something even more dangerous – mutant killer moths! The latest book in Jennifer Killick’s brilliant comedyhorror series combines scares with lots of laughs. Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse (Puffin Books) Could there really be witches…

Name: Aditi Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick “Suspense, horror and a cliffhanger. Club Loser are always up for an adventure whether it’s against evil maniacs, parasitic worms or ginormous spiders.” YOUR TURN Please email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Describe your chosen book in three words, tell us what you liked about it and why you would recommend it to others. Don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

Happy Halloween! We’ve got an issue packed with spooky surprises this week. The creepiest is surely the fungus on page 10. Yuck! When we put together The Week Junior every week, we discuss all the stories and plan where in the magazine they would best fit. The story about the National Gallery banning liquids (page 5) was a good example. At first we were going to turn it into a Big Debate (“Should museums ban liquids?”) but decided the story was so important it should go into News. Instead, this week’s debate is about technology helping humans – in this case, robots in restaurants (page 8). The NHS is looking at using more technology too, and asking the public for suggestions for how to improve the organisation (page 4) is…

As part of its Priority Seating Week, TfL (Transport for London) has launched a competition. It is asking young people to create artworks showing why it’s important to offer seats on transport to those who need them most. The winners will see their work on London’s transport network and receive family tickets to a Merlin Entertainments attraction in the capital. The runners-up will get family return tickets for the IFS Cloud Cable Car across the Thames. Find out more and how to enter before the 17 November deadline at tinyurl.com/TWJ-priority GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter badge if your contribution makes it onto the page. We will only use the…

We love hearing from you! It’s easy – just write a comment when you vote in our online Big Debate poll, or even record a voice note for The Week Junior Show. Last week we asked you whether autumn is better than spring… “I prefer spring because it is never too hot and is never too cold.” “Yes, because the colours around you are quite vibrant in autumn.” “No, in spring you get to see nature thrive and in autumn you see it vanish.” “I prefer autumn because I can snuggle in my bed without getting too hot.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

In recent years there has been a shortage of people applying to work as waiters in the UK. With the development of more and more sophisticated robots, some businesses are using them in different jobs to replace humans. Robots can already make pizzas, and others operate as waiters. Some of them look like bookshelves on wheels, with shelves for trays and plates. They can greet customers and show them to their table, while human employees take food orders and load the plates on and off the robot, which trundles back and forth to the kitchen. Some people think robots are the future of dining, but others say it’s a recipe for disaster if we take jobs away from humans. What do you think, should robots work in restaurants? Yes –…

New research has found that bottlenose dolphins playing in groups “smile” at each other. A team of scientists noticed that dolphins living in captivity (not in the wild) often made facial expressions where they opened their mouths, which looked like smiling. This usually only happened when they were playing together. Bottlenose dolphins are very sociable creatures and like to play together in groups, called “pods”. The scientists wanted to learn more about their smiling behaviour, so they recorded videos of 22 bottlenose dolphins that lived at two wildlife parks. The dolphins were recorded when they were playing in pairs; playing with their human trainers; and playing on their own. During the 80 hours of video footage, the scientists counted 1,288 times when the dolphins used the open-mouth expression. The team…

Barack Obama 2009–2017 Obama, a Democrat, served two terms (the four-year periods between elections) as president. He was the first African-American president in US history. His vice-president was the current president Joe Biden. George W. Bush 2001–2009 Bush, a Republican, comes from a family of presidents. He is the son of George H.W. Bush, who also served as president. It was the second time a parent and child had been presidents, after John Adams and John Quincy Adams 200 years ago. Bill Clinton 1993–2001 Democrat Bill Clinton won two elections. He was 46 years old when he took office, making him the third-youngest president in US history, behind John F. Kennedy and Theodore Roosevelt.…

Whether you enjoy books filled with facts or prefer fantastical stories, reading is good for your health. Open your mind Reading opens your eyes and mind to a world beyond your neighbourhood. You can find out about people living different lives to you and amazing facts about the universe. You discover important news stories and how you can make a difference in the world. Reading non-fiction and fiction improves your understanding of people and the world around you. Sarah Driver, a teacher for 25 years, says, “Reading helps you understand how other people feel because you get to see things from their eyes. It’s like stepping into their shoes and seeing the world the way they do.” This is called empathy. Spark your imagination Your creativity gets a boost from…

by Lucy Strange. Illustrated by Pam Smy (Walker Books) Matilda Lockett is used to playing the part of a ghost on stage. She regularly appears as “Poor Dead Edna” alongside her Aunt Evelyn – who pretends to be a spirit medium – and her Uncle Barnabus. When they are invited to the haunted Beauchamp Manor, Matilda is amazed to discover that ghosts aren’t just a trick – they are real and she can see them. Soon, she has made an unexpected new friend in ghost boy Edgar Wilde, and together the pair set about uncovering the mysteries and secrets of the manor house, including tracking down a long-lost diamond. The first instalment of Lockett & Wilde’s adventures is a deliciously spooky tale packed with fabulous illustrations, mystery and a great…

Skye McKenna is the author of the Hedgewitch series following the magical adventures of Cassie Morgan, a young witch in training, set in the enchanted village of Hedgely. The books are filled with witches, scary faeries, eerie forests and talking animals, inspired by stories from folklore, and the British countryside, which McKenna fell in love with after moving from Australia to the UK. “I have always been fascinated by British folklore and I wondered what it would be like to live in a world where goblins still lurked in the woods and mermaids haunted the seas,” the author tells The Week Junior. McKenna’s latest book, Seawitch, is set in Cornwall as Cassie moves one step closer to passing her witch’s licence. The witches in McKenna’s books are all deeply connected…

UK Antarctic Heritage Trust The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust cares for several historic sites in Antarctica, which were once home to pioneering explorers and scientists. Working with schools, the trust shares Antarctica’s incredible history and inspires future generations to protect it. Each year, the charity sends a conservation team to Antarctica to restore the sites. They also run Port Lockroy, home to a museum, the world’s southernmost post office and a colony of gentoo penguins – you can even adopt one. Find out more at ukaht.org…

“Whilst in the long queues at Thorpe Park, I decided to read The Week Junior to pass the time.”Olive “This is me flying a kite in Warwickshire. The skies were so clear we could see all the way to Birmingham on the horizon.”Bea “I caught up with my The Week Junior magazine while waiting for my coaches to arrive at my Chelsea foundation practice.”Michael…

Ten-year-old Alina, from Dewsbury in England, has had a wonderful year. She interviewed author Jacqueline Wilson; met Poet Laureate Simon Armitage; visited Bradford and London; and read a poem on stage at this year’s Convention of the North, a big event in Leeds, England. She did all this after being named one of the two West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureates in 2023. The laureates aim to inspire other young poets and writers by attending exciting events and sharing their poetry. To be in with a chance of being named West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureate, Alina had to write a poem and enter it into a competition. Her brilliant piece, called Mr Callaghan’s Class, was about her school classroom. Alina had only ever written a tiny bit of poetry before then…

For centuries, people have argued over where the famous explorer Christopher Columbus comes from. People claimed he came from Portugal, Greece and even Scotland, but lots of experts believed he was born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy, to a family of wool weavers. Now, the results of a 20-year study suggest that Columbus was Spanish and Jewish. The search for Columbus’s true identity began in 2003 in Seville, Spain. Scientists removed what were believed to be the explorer’s bones from a tomb in the cathedral and took a sample of DNA. DNA is a chemical that carries all the information about a living thing and its characteristics. It can also be used to see how species and people are related. The study compared these results with DNA from the bones…

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium in London often host thrilling football games but this month they also staged American football from the NFL. The NFL (National Football League) is the most popular sports league in the US. American football is different to what we call football in the UK. In the US, our version of football is called “soccer”. Since 2007, special NFL games have been played in London around this time of the year. This season, the NFL International Series has six games held outside the US – in Brazil, Germany, Spain and the UK. In Brazil the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers. Three contests took place in London, starting with the Minnesota Vikings’ win over the New York Jets on 6 October. A week later,…

We need your help! We’re asking you to design a bright, colourful image that captures the fun of the festive season for our issue dated 21 December. Not only will the winner’s artwork be on the cover, they will also receive a framed copy of their design. You can use paint, pencils or pen – but give it plenty of colour. Our judges are Anna Bassi, Vanessa Harriss, Dave Kelsall and Mandy Rowson, all from The Week Junior, and illustrator and artist Tom Clohosy Cole. How to enter Design your artwork using the template below (you can download more at theweekjunior.co.uk/christmas2024-cover). Please note that we need you to send in your original artwork, not a photo of it. Once you are happy with your entry, fill in your details at…

Are you easily spooked? Yes – my imagination runs riot after a super-scary book or film. I think that’s why I feel so happy in our cosy-gothic world of Lockett & Wilde – we’ve got some spine-chilling moments but lots of warmth and humour too. Who’s your favourite detective? I’m a big fan of Miss Marple – so observant, unassuming and wise. And I LOVE young Edna Gristle in Alex T. Smith’s Murder! By Narwhal! which is out this month. If you could talk to ghosts, who would you choose to have dinner with? Agatha Christie – wouldn’t that be wonderful? We could chat about mystery stories and our favourite detectives. I’m sure she’d love my impression of Poirot… What was your favourite thing about writing this book? Working with…

The original four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo – first appeared in a black-and-white comic book 40 years ago, in 1984. In other words, they’re not teenagers any more – but even though they should be a bit too old to be leaping around like ninjas, the turtles are as energetic as ever in their new game. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed is set in their home city of New York, where a new wave of mutant animals – from crabs and hippos to rhinos and snails – are causing chaos. Thankfully the turtles are ready to spring into action. The game lets you play as all four of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, each with their own special moves, as you battle the…

A US navy warship that was once known as “the ghost ship of the Pacific” has been found on the sea bed. The USS Stewart was captured by Japanese forces during the Second World War (1939–1945). US forces were often “spooked” to see one of their own ships sailing with the Japanese navy. USS Stewart was later sunk but the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation found its remains off the coast of California. Underwater vehicles scanned the sea bed and spotted the wreck. The discovery team said the ship looks “exceptional”.…

Name: Clara and Issy “We did the sponsored KCAH (Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness) Big Sleep Out with our Scouts troop in aid of the homeless people in our local area, where we slept under the stars in the garden of our Scout hut for a night. Although it was really cold we were pleased with ourselves for having aided such a good charity. In the end we raised over £150, and then enjoyed a delicious breakfast inside our Scout hut in the morning.” What have you been up to lately? Which books have you enjoyed reading? What have you made? Have you written a poem or drawn a picture that you’d like to see published on this page? Whatever you have to show or tell us, get in touch…

Teacher’s name: Harriet School: Dallington School, London “Harriet is a kind, helpful teacher who makes lessons into games, so you feel enriched by your learning. She worked hard to get to know us for a few weeks so that she knew what we all liked and disliked. I can’t wait to see what Harriet teaches us this year!” Milan If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll send your school three free issues of The Week Junior. Send your nominations, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

1 How many countries are members of the European Union? □ a) 10 □ b) 19 □ c) 27 2 True or false? The National Gallery in London is home to more than 2,300 artworks. □ True □ False 3 What is Niger’s capital city called? _________________________ 4 How many carriages does Rome’s new reading train have? □ a) 6 □ b) 9 □ c) 12 5 True or false? Robot waiter BellaBot costs around £80,000 □ True □ False 6 What type of fungus looks like spooky fingers escaping from a woodland grave? _________________________ 7 Which US state has the largest population? □ a) New York □ b) California □ c) Wyoming 8 True or false? Christopher Columbus found the Americas by accident, while looking for a new route…